Observed Signal · Aug 19, 2025 · Deprecation · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Google to remove Language Targeting in Search Campaigns
Google plans to discontinue manual Language Targeting for Search Campaigns by the end of 2025, replacing human language decisions with an AI-driven approach that determines the most effective language for ads. Beginning in 2026, the Language Targeting setting is to be removed for Google Search Campaigns; non-Search campaigns will keep the feature. The update was identified by Ezra Sackett, Head of Paid Search at Monks, in Google Ads documentation and shared on LinkedIn, with warnings that initial rollouts may yield language mismatches. The move aligns with Google's broader push to automate advertising contexts through AI, including AI Mode Ads and AI Overviews. Alphabet reported Google advertising revenue of $54.2 billion in Q2 2025. The article also notes Meta’s plan to automate ad creation with AI by 2026, highlighting a broader industry shift toward automation in campaign management across major platforms.
Major platform policy update / deprecation impacting Google Ads language targeting
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Google will retire manual Language Targeting for Search Campaigns by end of 2025; AI will determine language.
- From 2026, the Language Targeting setting for Google Search Campaigns will be removed.
- Non-Search campaigns will retain Language Targeting functionality.
- Ezra Sackett (Head of Paid Search at Monks) identified the update in Google Ads documentation and posted on LinkedIn.
- Alphabet's Google advertising revenue was $54.2 billion in Q2 2025.
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Google Ads changes language targeting in Sept 2026
Google announced changes to language targeting in Google Ads effective late September 2026. Search and AI Max for Search campaigns will no longer use a campaign-level language setting; search ads will match based on the language of the ad creative (and user language signals). For Performance Max campaigns, the campaign-level language setting will no longer apply on Google Search (language matching will use ad language) but will continue to guide delivery on other channels like YouTube, Display, Discover, and Gmail. The Google Ads API will continue to return language criteria when queried, but attempts to mutate language criteria for Search campaigns will produce a ContextError.OPERATION_NOT_PERMITTED_FOR_CONTEXT. Google recommends stopping the practice of setting language criteria for new Search campaigns and focusing on ad and landing page language.
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AI Makes Search Conversational, Reshaping Ad Targeting
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